Tathra MTB Trails

Overview

Tathra is one of NSW's premier coastal mountain biking destinations, sitting on the Far South Coast in the Bega Valley. The network has grown to roughly 50+ km of singletrack split across two interconnected zones: the Bundadung Trails (north of town, on Bega Local Aboriginal Lands Council and private land) with about 30 km of well-signed XC and descents, and the Fire Shed Trails (south of town, on NSW National Parks land) with about 20 km of looser, flowing singletrack. The trailhead is at the Tathra Country Club on Tathra-Bermagui Road, 1 km north of town.

What sets Tathra apart is the coastal eucalypt setting — trails climb to about 137 m above sea level with regular ocean glimpses through spotted gum forest — combined with the depth of hand-built trail volunteer culture. The network started in 2001 as a covert effort by ex-police diver Andy Johnson (later OAM, 2016) following wallaby pads as natural contours, and grew through partnerships with local builders Steve Todd, Stacey George and Adio, the Bega Local Aboriginal Lands Council, Tathra Nature Trust and private landholders. Trailforks lists all ten of the Far South Coast's most-popular trails as being in the Tathra network.

The park suits all levels: green-rated cruisers, blue flow trails like Naughty but Nice and JJ's, black-graded climbs and descents like Evil Tom, Kingy's Climb and The Bridges, and even double-black sections (Bad Apples, No Double Dipping) for expert riders. A Mountain Bike Skills Park sits at the Country Club trailhead, and bike hire / repairs are available in town at Tathra Beach and Bike.

Location & Access

Address: Bundadung Trail Network trailhead, Tathra Country Club, Tathra-Bermagui Road, Tathra NSW 2550 (1 km north of Tathra town centre)
Region: Sapphire Coast (Bega Valley / NSW Far South Coast)
Drive times: ~6 hr from Sydney; ~5 hr from Melbourne; ~3 hr from Canberra; ~30 min from Bega; ~25 min from Merimbula
Public transport: Limited — V/Line / NSW TrainLink coaches stop at Bega; no direct transit to Tathra trailheads. Car strongly recommended.
Parking: Free sealed parking at the Tathra Country Club (main Bundadung trailhead). Additional trailheads at Top of Tathra (Tathra Road, opposite the Fire Shed) and Thompsons Drive (intersection with fire road at top of Fauna Grove).
Coords: -36.727021, 149.9821 (matches DB)

Best Season & Conditions

Peak riding season: Year-round — coastal climate is mild. Spring (Sep–Nov) and autumn (Mar–May) are the prime windows: dry, mild, fewer flies.
Wet-weather impact: Most Bundadung trails drain well, but some sections (especially Fire Shed trails on clayey soils) get sticky after heavy rain; the club advises checking Trailforks status before riding.
Fire-danger / total-fire-ban impact: Trails sit in eucalypt forest and Tathra was significantly affected by the March 2018 bushfire (which destroyed 65 homes in town). Total fire ban days and Park of Fire Danger declarations can close access — check NSW RFS and NPWS alerts.
Snow / alpine season: N/A — coastal elevation max ~137 m.
School-holiday surge: Easter and summer holidays bring crowds, especially around the Tathra Multisport Festival in March and any club events.

Managing Body & Trail Builders

Land manager: Layered — Bundadung Trails are on Bega Local Aboriginal Lands Council land plus Tathra Nature Trust and private landholdings; Fire Shed Trails are on NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) land, partly within or adjacent to Mimosa Rocks / Bournda NP corridor.
Trail builder / maintainer: Tathra Mountain Bike Club (hand-built network, ongoing maintenance). Foundation builders include Andy Johnson OAM, Steve Todd, Stacey George and Adio.
Volunteer / dig days: Monthly working bees on the last Saturday of each month.
Donations / membership: Membership flows through AusCycling (auscycling.org.au); tax-deductible donations accepted via the club for trail maintenance fund.

History & Background

2001 — Andy Johnson, an ex-police diver, begins building alternative trails by following wallaby pads to avoid beach-hill climbs; aligns approach with IMBA handbook practice after a few km built.
2003 — Tathra Beach and Bike opens (Jane Corben, Jake Iskov), accelerating community ride culture.
2009–2010 — Trails formalised for the inaugural Tathra Enduro; aboriginal land council partnership secured.
2016 — Andy Johnson awarded Order of Australia Medal for community contributions to the trail network.
2018 — March 2018 Tathra bushfire destroys 65 houses and damages parts of the trail network; rebuilt over subsequent years.
Cultural significance: "Bundadung" is a Koori word for wombat, "spirit of the forest." The trails sit on Djiringanj Country, part of the Yuin Nation, and the Yuin Nation is acknowledged by the club.
Festival history: The Tathra MTB Festival ran annually on the June long weekend for many years; in recent years the MTB component has been folded into the Tathra Multisport Festival in March alongside Trail Run Australia Tathra and the Wharf-to-Waves Ocean Swim.

Sources

Tathra Mountain Bike Club — homepage — https://www.tathramtbclub.com/ — accessed 2026-05-19 (Tier 2)
Tathra Mountain Bike Club — Trail Background — https://www.tathramtbclub.com/?page_id=51 — accessed 2026-05-19 (Tier 2)
Tathra Mountain Bike Club — Trail Heads — https://www.tathramtbclub.com/?page_id=1576 — accessed 2026-05-19 (Tier 2)
Tathra Mountain Bike Club — FAQ — https://www.tathramtbclub.com/?page_id=49 — accessed 2026-05-19 (Tier 2)
Mountain Biking Australia magazine — Mountain Biking in Tathra — https://www.mtbiking.com.au/destinations/mountain-biking-in-tathra — accessed 2026-05-19 (Tier 6)
Tathra Tourism — Mountain Bike Tracks — https://tathratourism.com.au/mountain-bike-tracks/ — accessed 2026-05-19 (Tier 3)
Sapphire Coast — Tathra Mountain Bike Trails — https://www.sapphirecoast.com.au/attraction/tathra-mountain-bike-trails — accessed 2026-05-19 (Tier 3)
Bega District News — Ride the best MTB trails on Australia's Far South Coast — https://www.begadistrictnews.com.au/story/9135811/ride-the-best-mtb-trails-on-australias-far-south-coast/ — accessed 2026-05-19 (Tier 6)
Trailforks — Tathra region — https://www.trailforks.com/region/tathra-12451/ — accessed 2026-05-19 (Tier 4)
In2Adventure — Tathra Multisport Festival 2026 — https://in2adventure.com.au/tathra-multisport-festival-returns-for-2026-two-days-of-wonderfully-wild-coastal-adventure/ — accessed 2026-05-19 (Tier 6)